Pell wants to see paedophile priest file

Australia's most powerful Catholic, Cardinal George Pell, has applied to inspect the court file of a Catholic brother convicted of sex offences.

Robert Charles Best was convicted last year of 27 offences against 11 schoolboys, including two rapes, and was jailed for 14 years and nine months.

The Victorian government's inquiry into the handling of child abuse by religious and other organisations has been told Cardinal Pell was present when a grade three student at a Ballarat school in the 1960s described to another priest an allegation he was raped by Best.

Lawyers for Cardinal Pell on Wednesday applied to the Victorian County Court to inspect the court file of Best's case.

The application was adjourned and will return to court on November 23.

Last month, solicitor Vivian Waller told the inquiry the victim went to the St Alipius presbytery and asked to speak to Cardinal Pell, but he refused the request.

But she said Cardinal Pell was present when the victim described to another priest what had happened to him.

The Archdiocese of Sydney said last month that Cardinal Pell was not a priest appointed in the Diocese of Ballarat at the time alleged in Dr Waller's submission.